Bill Text: TX HB3710 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to a prohibition on public contact with certain animals; imposing a civil penalty; creating a criminal offense.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-12 - Left pending in committee [HB3710 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB3710-Introduced.html
  87R10618 MCF-F
 
  By: Ordaz Perez H.B. No. 3710
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a prohibition on public contact with certain animals;
  imposing a civil penalty; creating a criminal offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 822, Health and Safety Code, is amended
  by adding Subchapter F to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER F. PUBLIC CONTACT WITH CERTAIN ANIMALS PROHIBITED
         Sec. 822.151.  APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only
  to the following animals:
                     (A)  a bear;
                     (B)  a cougar;
                     (C)  an elephant;
                     (D)  a jaguar;
                     (E)  a leopard;
                     (F)  a lion;
                     (G)  a nonhuman primate;
                     (H)  a snow leopard; and
                     (I)  a tiger.
         Sec. 822.152.  DIRECT CONTACT PROHIBITED. A person may not
  allow a member of the public to have direct contact with an animal
  described by Section 822.151. For purposes of this subsection,
  direct contact includes allowing a member of the public to be in
  close proximity to an animal in an area without a permanent physical
  barrier preventing contact between the public and the animal.
         Sec. 822.153.  CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A person who violates
  Section 822.152 is liable for a civil penalty of not less than $200
  and not more than $2,000 for each animal subject to the violation
  and for each day the violation continues.
         (b)  The attorney general or the appropriate district or
  county attorney may:
               (1)  bring an action on behalf of this state to collect
  the civil penalty under this section; and
               (2)  recover attorney's fees and costs incurred in
  bringing the action.
         Sec. 822.154.  CRIMINAL OFFENSE; PENALTY. (a) A person
  commits an offense if the person violates Section 822.152. Each
  animal subject to a violation and each day a violation continues is
  a separate offense.
         (b)  An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
         Sec. 822.155.  EFFECT OF SUBCHAPTER ON OTHER LAW. This
  subchapter does not preempt a local regulation relating to an
  animal described by Section 822.151 or affect the authority of a
  political subdivision to adopt or enforce an ordinance or
  requirement relating to an animal described by that section if the
  regulation, ordinance, or requirement:
               (1)  is compatible with and equal to or more stringent
  than a requirement prescribed by this subchapter; or
               (2)  relates to an issue not specifically addressed by
  this subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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